Apps

All of us have had to plow through at least one difficult day of school or work after a less-than-optimal night of sleep. But what happens when a rough night becomes the norm? The Centers for Disease Control collects data about the sleep habits of Americans and reports that one in three of us are getting fewer than the recommended seven hours of sleep per night. Whether you can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep, or both, insomnia is not only miserable but bad for your health. I’m one of those insomniacs who wakes up more nights than not after about four hours of shut-eye, and who’s unable to drift off again for at least an hour or two. If you’re like me and have spent many wakeful hours wishing you could just relax and sleep, it’s time to find some help. I’ve been researching why insomnia occurs, as well as testing iPhone gear and apps meant to deliver a good night’s sleep. Here, I’ll share the tips, apps, and gear that have been most effective so far in my quest to cure my insomnia.

In every issue of iPhone Life magazine, we feature the iPhone Home screens of two or three people from different walks of life so our readers can see how they use their iPhone apps to meet a variety of needs. In our Summer 2019 issue, we featured mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Helen Peralta, who uses her iPhone for training, planning, publicity, and recreation. If you have a story and apps you'd like to share, email me and we may feature you in an upcoming issue of the magazine!

Best Apps: Pokémon Go

By Hallei Halter

If you're like me, you can get bored on the usual walk and wish you could see something cool...like a flaming horse. Pokémon Go uses your phone to turn your surroundings into a field rife with imaginative creatures that you can capture and train. Whether you need to get some variety in your routine walk, or want to make walking a daily 10,000 steps a habit, Pokémon Go can get you on the right foot!

Did you know you can use your Apple Watch as a timer? Since the Apple Watch is on my wrist, I'm less likely to ignore the the timer going off than if I were using my iPhone, or drop my Apple Watch if I'm using the timer while cooking with slippery ingredients or washing dishes. For less fumbling and more punctual time management, try using the Timer app on your Apple Watch.

If you're wanting to know what the weather or temperature is in your current location or somewhere else, you can open the Weather app on your iPhone and get the current and weekly forecast. Thanks to Locations Services, you don't even need to enter your current location to get the local weather. Your iPhone will know where you are and show you what weather and temperatures to expect.

Ever since Apple’s virtual assistant Siri debuted with the release of the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 in 2011, using our cell phones has become quicker and easier. So why are you still navigating your device with taps, swipes, and gestures when you could be using Siri? Whether you are a seasoned or rookie iPhone user, Siri will allow you to take control of your device, save time, and be more productive.

In 2019, I’m not certain it’s even possible to run a business without using a few essential apps. The broad range of functionality iPhone and iPad apps offer improve a myriad of problems and daily tasks, including automating email, keeping all of your projects organized, building your brand, creating stunning promotional images, sending out invoices, and much more. From the more practical apps that help you with time management and taxes to the creative-but-essential apps that allow you to cultivate your company’s presence on the web and across social media, this list will be helpful to budding entrepreneurs across the board. My two personal favorites are Over, for creating promotional photos, and Trello, for staying on top of all the work small business owners need to do.

Best Apps: Meetup

By Hallei Halter

Feel like you need to leave the house or want to squeeze in a small outing on your business trip? If you're wondering how to meet people or find local events, the Meetup app is your answer. With its array of groups and events created by people local to the area, Meetup could show you something you've never seen before, even in your own hometown.

If you came of age in the pre-smartphone era, you already know the basics of phone etiquette. But now that texting and messaging apps have overtaken phone calls as the preferred method of staying in touch, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the dos and don’ts of texting as well. Here’s how to avoid being the bane of the group chat, telling someone it’s funny that their loved one died, and snubbing someone just by letting them see that you read their message!

Best Apps: Udemy

By Hallei Halter

Have you ever wished you could take a college class just to learn about something more in-depth? With Udemy, short for You Academy, you can find a course covering almost anything you can think of and follow along on your own schedule. Udemy hosts over 80,000 courses uploaded from all over the world, with instructional videos on topics ranging from how to make your own sourdough bread to how to use a new coding program.

Have you been struggling to meet your productivity goals? Do you wonder why others succeed with the exact same tools and techniques that have been failing you? Author Gretchen Rubin has the answer to these vexing questions. What’s her magic formula? Self-knowledge. Many people stumble across effective productivity hacks, whether it be through advice from a friend, an article online, or just hard experience. Many of us, though, have yet to find the best way to go about meeting our goals and wonder why an app or planner that works so well for those around us is just not helping us improve our performance.

App Saturday: Overcast

By Hallei Halter

I habitually autoplay hours of Netflix or Youtube because I like the sound of people talking while I'm puttering around my apartment. Podcasts naturally fill that need with the bonus that I'm not missing any context since there's nothing to watch, only listen to. But even when I'm only listening, I still want to personalize my choices. Overcast is a podcast player app that gives me as many choices as I want when it comes to selecting content and how I want to hear it.

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